Throwback Thursday Philly is an online publication started by music writer Caitlin Phillips which, in addition to “chronicling the city’s unique connections to the music industry,” highlights current artists by giving them a platform for interviews and new music.

The Band of Rivals played a pair of Den Sessions of new songs: “Her,” a low-key, groovy lament of days gone by, and “The Devil and Daniel Johnston,” an up-tempo foot-stomper that recalls the best of vintage country and folk. Both songs feature the five-piece at their tightest, with Sean Cos’s soulful baritone and Abbey Mertz’ versatile violin leading the charge on both tunes.

We’ve included the video for the latter below. For the full Throwback Thursday Philly piece, follow the link.

The guitars were on full display once again at The Originals Music Series this week, with singer-songwriter Andrew Mark Schaffer opening for soul/folk trio Copper Fields.

Schaffer’s intricate guitar work — enhanced by a loop station that allowed him to nail impressive solos over rhythm parts — combined with his improvisational ability on yet-to-be-completed song ideas to captivate those in attendance at Chicago Restaurant’s Club Gravity.

Copper Fields then took the stage, with the Emmaus trio blending crisp vocal harmonies over styles from acoustic rock to bluegrass. The group showed why they are one of the most exciting up-and-coming acts in the Valley right now, as their distinct mellow sound and catchy hooks cause first-time listeners to take immediate notice.

Touring is by no means an easy pursuit, and one can only imagine the difficulty of traveling from city to city, and then playing to a less-than-receptive crowd. Such was the case when Boston’s Jack Romanov played a Philadelphia venue last winter. Since that point, the band has found acceptance thanks in a large part to The Stoop crew. Performances by Jack Romanov and New York’s Ghost Pressure at The Stoop last weekend not only solidified their following in the Philly music scene, but it also displayed that The Stoop has become a great location for out-of-town bands to gain exposure. Read more

The inevitability of most bands breaking up is an inherent element of any music scene, and it can be heartbreaking when a band you’ve come to respect decides to call it quits. Such was the case when Overfield broke up a year and a half ago. I’d played a handful of gigs with the band, watched them grow as musicians, and really felt that they had a promising future together. As I covered in a previous review, that wasn’t the case.

Jam Traffic’s self titled EP has caused me to reconsider my negative position on bands breaking up. The recent release by Jam Traffic shows that something great can come out of a band’s demise. Tony Nicosia, Tristan Jones, and Alphonse Campanese were all in Overfield, but Jam Traffic is by no means a retread of that band’s indie/alternative sound. Jam Traffic successfully establishes a new persona that is more polished and groove oriented than their previous endeavors; almost like the offspring of Phish, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The Bravery.

The band will headline Chef Jeff’s Space Rock Jamboree at Northampton’s Gin Mill & Grille this Saturday night. The show is a cancer benefit for Geoffry Thomas, affectionately known as “Chef Jeff,” and will also feature performances from The Beings, Ian Gallagher, The Frequency Collage, The Keystone Drifters, Chewbacca’s Sac, and Hairy Dudini.

Chef Jeff has been catering for bands since 1968 – nearly 50 years – using the motto “You feed my mind, I’ll feed your stomach.” The longtime local music supporter has fed bands across all genres, catered at Woodstock, and now is known for his work during shows at The Gin Mill & Grille.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. on Saturday night, with music beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is $5, with an additional suggested donation of $5 for the Chef Jeff Cancer Fund.

Episodes like this are what The Quinn Spinn is all about — featuring the best in independent music! Not only do we have an interview with Second Player Score about their upcoming album, “Nobody’s Hero,” but we have a world premiere track from our local friends, JingerKroa! Plus, Somethin’ Good hits home for us, as Jersey country music duo and #GoodFriendsoftheShow Spinn are heading to Nashville as Nash Next finalists. Hear the news and tunes that are fit to hear on today’s show, sponsored by The Valley Ledger!

Track listing:
REVEL 9 – All I’ve Become (Opening theme)
Rofo Audio – Baggage
Second Player Score – Deep
Second Player Score – Comets
The Perms – Lose Yourself
Jupiter in Velvet – Keep Your Eye on the Pearl
Norse Super Band – Vision Fades
The Thrones – New Way
Guns of the Seneca – Tell Them About the Frequency
Elemento Zero – Urgencia
Spinn – City Country
Midnight Mob – Swing On
Mesa Jane – Waking Up to the Sound of a Machine
JingerKroa – Wasted (World premiere)

In my world, October never, ever fails to be a ridiculously busy month.

For starters, there are two October birthdays – my girlfriend and my niece – that I wouldn’t dare miss in any given year. In each of the past three years, I’ve had at least one October wedding to attend, and I like to pick up extra hours at my part-time gig at ArtsQuest before the winter doldrums set in. Add all of that together with a full-time job, and it can make having time for anything else – like, say, effectively building a growing local music news source – quite challenging.